This invention relates to improvements in a table for a hospital bed rotatable upon circular, rotatable side rails enabling end-for-end rotation of a patient supported on the bed.
Prior tables for such beds have been separate units mounted upon wheels such as those in common use in hospitals for patients in ordinary hospital beds. Such tables have drawbacks in use with rotatable beds, and often cannot be used at all when the patient is placed in an awkward position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,152 describes a rotatable hospital bed generally of the type for which the table of this invention is a useful component. It is clear that the present table can be used with other bed constructions of more or less similar type. The rotatable bed includes a pair of spaced circular and coaxial rails or rings arranged in vertical planes and connected to each other by cross support members. The rails are supported upon a wheeled base for rotation about their common axis. Framing extends across and between the rails to support a mattress platform and mattress which normally engages a patient's back.
Anterior and posterior framing is disclosed, the anterior frame being moveable toward and away from the posterior frame. The anterior frame may be adjusted so that the patient can be held snugly between the two frames during rotation of the rails whereby the posterior and anterior frames are rotated through approximately 180.degree. and the patient is moved from a face down position to a face up position, or the reverse. Such a bed is useful where, for example, the patient is in traction or requires treatment which necessitates frequent changing of the patient's position.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved table for use with a rotatable hospital bed as described, which table is infinitely adjustable on such bed and can be fixed in any position for use by a patient regardless of the patient's position on the bed.